A Phoenix Curse
by nevukiun
Summary: Shortly after the fall of Voldemort Harry begins to wonder about Dumbledore's stance towards Voldemort. He determines that the best course of action is to confront him and ask him about the issue via the Hallows. Dumbledore's answer astonishes Harry.


Disclaimer - Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling. This is a work of Fanfiction.

This is something that's been rattling around in my head for a about half a year. I hope people enjoy it.

Two months after the fall of Voldemort

Harry felt guilty. He had shown up to all the parties, all the celebrations, said all the right things, comforted those who had lost family and loved ones. He did not feel guilty about any of this. What he felt guilty about was a complex and thorny issue. It was not something that could be brought up in this hectic time casually and his friends were all grieving and dealing with their own problems and troubles. He had rented out a house in the muggle world while waiting for everything to calm down enough to try and get a semblance of a normal life. A week ago he had decided that seven weeks of nonstop celebrations and political fundraisers were more than enough for a lifetime, and decided to just sit out the rest of the time. His location was known to a few close friends.

He sighed, pouring himself another glass of firewhiskey. It wasn't the most healthy way of dealing with his issues, but it was the only one he had learned so far. He was fairly certain that with a few weeks of solitude he would eventually return to a normal life. He heard the crack of apparition and a knock at his door. Sighing, he stood and walked to the door and opened it.

Hermione stood there, looking annoyed. "What is it?" He asked. "I haven't heard from you in a week. There was a fundraiser for Shacklebolt you were supposed to go to tonight." She responded. Her eyes focused on his state and the glass of firewhiskey he had yet to put down "What's wrong?"

When he attempted to shrug her off with "Nothing" her eyes narrowed and she forced herself into his house and poured herself her own glass of firewhiskey and sternly told him to "Talk."

"I've been feeling guilty. And I've been feeling guilty for feeling guilty." He said after a drink. "Harry, you're not making any sense. What are you feeling guilty about?" Harry was very reluctant to let her know, but finally said "I've been feeling guilty about killing Voldemort"

When she heard his answer, she understood his reluctance. To most of the wizarding world that answer would paint Harry as a burgeoning dark lord again. She doubted he would have told anyone besides her. Intellectually, she understood the guilt. Harry had barely been beyond the start of adulthood before being forced to kill. Emotionally though, was a different matter.

"He was a monster Harry, someone had to do it" She told him, seeking to alleviate some of his guilt by reminding him of good that had come from the deed. "Why did that someone have to be me?" He asked plaintively, eyes shining.

"Who else would have been able?" She hated the answer even as it left her lips.

"Why wasn't it Dumbledore? I watched him duel Voldemort. He never once tried to end him in that engagement at the department of mysteries. Even Voldemort commented on it. I don't understand, it's like Dumbledore was trying to save him. If that were the case, then why would he have even directed us to destroy the Horcruxes-"

"The horcruxes were pure evil. Even if your hypothesis is correct, that Dumbledore was trying to save Voldemort, the horcruxes would have had to go." Hermione cut in

"You think I'm right?" Harry interjected

"No, I don't. I can tell that it's troubling you though. And it's something that had bothered me as well. I think Dumbledore probably could have ended Voldemort from what has been written of their duels." Hermione paused in her speech, clearly being drawn deep into thought. There had been many eyewitness accounts of their duels in the first war and while none of them were as explicit as the one she had gotten from Harry, added together they painted a very odd picture.

"You've really considered this before haven't you?" Harry asked.

"Yes, of course I have. I thought about it some after fourth year when you said he had returned. I was looking for reassurance that Voldemort could be defeated, that I wouldn't have to worry about you risking your life against him. There's a great deal of eyewitness testimony from the first war in some of the history books. An enemy is a lot less threatening when there's someone one your side who you know can defeat them. After Dumbledore died though, I've tried not to give it too much thought as it's impossible to get an answer from someone who is dead, though" Hermione responded snappily, clearly intending to try and cut off his train of thought. Harry looked away from her, a guilty expression written on his face.

Hermione wryly spoke. "With him gone it ruined my sense of security and safety in the world, you know."

"Really?" Harry inquired.

"Yes," She responded. "It wasn't just that Voldemort was no longer matched, it was that the person I looked up to and admired the most had vanished from the world. And when I found out the full story from you I was appalled. How could he have just left me like that!" She sniffed, clearly still troubled.

"You know... what you were saying earlier. There is a way to get an answer from someone who is dead." Harry supplied.

"The resurrection stone? Harry, that's dangerous. Not to mention destroyed." Hermione cautioned.

"Not... exactly." Harry quietly spoke, slightly afraid of her reaction.

"What do you mean not exactly!" Hermione exclaimed, face flushed.

"Er... it wasn't destroyed. I just sort of dropped it in the forbidden forest. I let everyone assume it was destroyed. I mean, it's not like anyone could ever find it" He finished speaking, slightly abashed, rubbing the back of his head.

Hermione eyed him in disbelief. "If someone knows it's there I'm pretty sure they could find it in a matter of seconds with a summoning charm."

"Oh... yeah." Harry spoke sheepishly. He had a tendency to forget some of the magical solutions even now. "I mean, part of the reason was that I didn't want it to be abused and I thought it would be kind of the same as throwing it into the ocean really."

"Harry... even for you, that's a pretty big oversight." She groaned, thinking back to some of Harry's stranger mistakes. "It's almost as bad as taking divination as an elective. Didn't you ever think about a student finding it by accident? I know it's the forbidden forest but Merlin knows how often students went there."

Harry ignored part of comment. Maybe one day she would get over Trelawney's class, but the whole prophecy business had given both of them a very sour view of the woman and all things related to her.

Harry winced at the latter part though. "Well, we should probably go get it before some first year summons their pet's shade or something"

"Now?" Hermione asked.

"Why not. I might forget if I wait 'til tomorrow" Harry answered.

The two of them apparated to Hogsmeade and flew to the Forbidden Forest. A summoning charm later and Harry was grasping the Resurrection Stone. He found himself stopped short when Hermione asked "What now?"

"To be honest... I really hadn't thought about it past the earlier idea about throwing it in the ocean. Or..." Harry paused, mind racing. He had thought about asking Dumbledore's shade in the past, but he had been stopped by a few considerations. One of the key ones actually was that he didn't feel comfortable summoning Dumbledore for merely his own peace of mind. With Hermione apparently wondering the same thing, his mind was becoming more open to the route. Her earlier outburst on the topic had moved him.

"Do you really want to know why he never tried to kill Voldemort?" He asked Hermione, who looked at him and replied "Are you sure Harry? There's no undoing this."

"No, I'm not sure. We're only going to ask him one question though, it's not like we're trying to bring him back to life. I think this is about the only act this stone could be used for that isn't well... wrong." Harry said.

"I agree. I just wanted to make sure you were ready. After our discussion earlier I was sure it was going to come to to this." Hermione responded.

Harry took and deep breath, bracing himself. He then spoke, intoning the name into an incantation as he held the stone in one hand.

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

The shade gazed at Harry silently. It was a bit disturbing, Harry could admit, to see someone who he knew had died in front of him. He took in the worn features of the man he had greatly respected, feeling a little disturbed at how comforting the experience was for him. Hermione elbowed him and hissed "Ask your question, Harry." He steeled himself mentally, and asked of the spirit "Why did I have to kill Voldemort, Professor?"

Dumbledore appeared surprised by the question. "Why, because of the prophecy, of course." This was honestly the answer that Harry had been afraid of. Because it was true. Had he been alone, he would have accepted that answer and never used the stone again. Hermione wasn't so easily satisfied, though. "I think that's reversing cause and effect professor. Based on my understanding of the nature of prophecy, it takes a glimpse of the future directly. It's not the reason why the event it describes occurs necessarily, it's merely a description of an event. The reason Harry had to kill Voldemort is not because of the prophecy, the prophecy is given because Harry had already killed Voldemort in the future. Saying Harry had to kill Voldemort because of the prophecy is a tautology. It's circular reasoning." Here Hermione paused and took a breath, thinking of how to word her next statement.

At this point Harry had completely lost the thread of the conversation, but was very glad to have brought Hermione with him on this possibly ill-advised quest for knowledge.

She continued "Our true question is a bit different, I think. It's not why Harry had to kill Voldemort. It's why you never tried."

Dumbledore flinched. "I'm afraid I can not answer that question."

"Then can you clarify something for me. Was it within your abilities to have done so?" Hermione narrowed in on a point that she felt likely to be very important.

"Yes. It would have likely been within my abilities, though it would not have been a sure outcome. That was part of why I was so relieved to hear the prophecy- "

Harry felt himself growing enraged, "You mean that you forced me to bear a burden that you should have shouldered?"

"Yes, and I've already admitted as much in the past. You must understand something, Harry. It was not within my capabilities to act as you wish I had upon Tom." Dumbledore informed them, his eyes twinkling even in death. When Harry opened his mouth to rant further, Hermione cut him off "Wait, Harry. He said not it was within his abilities, but not within his capabilities. And earlier he said that he could not have ended Voldemort's life. Professor, why was it not within your capabilities?"

Dumbledore's shoulders slumped. "That's truly something I cannot answer. Some bonds transcend death." His eyes turned pleading. "I truly wish I could say more, but I cannot."

Hermione's eye narrowed. She heard the terminology he used. It was clearly a mystical effect, to override the effects of the Hallow. "Bonds, Professor? What did you have a bond with?"

"I cannot say anything more regarding it." At this point Dumbledore seemed clearly to be in pain. Whether it was due to attempting to override a mystic geas or because he had overstayed the time the Resurrection Stone could grant was anyone's guess.

"Let him go, Harry." Hermione told Harry, who seemed in unusually deep thought. He nodded, prepared to perform the necessary dismissal step, then something occurred to him. "Bond... you couldn't mean Fawkes could you?" Dumbledore's eyes widened and the pain seemed to grow in intensity, so Harry dropped the Hallow on the ground.

"Well... that was interesting." Hermione broke the silence. "I think we got our answer. Now what do we do about it?"


End file.
